Public-Use Microdata

Beginning in 2012, the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) was given clearance to make CE public-use microdata (PUMD) available for free electronic download.
In the past, PUMD was only available from the CE for purchase. All new PUMD releases will solely be available online,
beginning with the 2011 data release on September 25, 2012. Prior releases dating back to the 1996 PUMD release will be posted online incrementally
as resources become available.

On This Page

About CE PUMD

The CE provides a continuous and comprehensive flow of data on the buying habits of American consumers.
These data are used widely in economic research and analysis, and in support of revisions of the Consumer Price Index. To meet the needs of
users, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces population estimates for consumer units (CUs) of average expenditures in
news releases, reports, quarterly web articles,
Monthly Labor Review articles, and annual tabulated CE data.

The population estimates used in the reports and tables mentioned above were derived using CE microdata. CE microdata are at the CU level. To produce the public-use version of CE microdata, the CE undertakes a yearly process that strips
the data of any potential respondent identifying information.

The PUMD files present detailed demographic, income, and expenditure data from the Interview and Diary components of the CE. Also, beginning in 2009, the PUMD includes paradata files. CE paradata is data on the survey collection process for the Interview Survey.

The PUMD files are grouped into 3 sections: Interview, Interview EXPN, and Diary.

The Interview survey collects data on monthly expenditures for housing, apparel and services, transportation, health care, entertainment, personal care,
reading, education, food, tobacco, cash contributions, and personal insurance and pensions, as well as income and characteristics data. The Interview survey
PUMD are organized into eight major data files for each quarter1:

1. FMLI

- a file with characteristics, income, and summary level expenditures for the household

2. MEMI

- a file with characteristics and income for each member in the household

- a file with federal and state tax information for each tax unit in the household4

The Interview EXPN files contain expenditure and non-expenditure information collected directly from all of the major
sections of the quarterly Interview survey. These files are more detailed than the
other Interview survey files alone. Roughly 50 EXPN datasets are available for each data release.

The Diary survey collects data on weekly expenditures of frequently purchased items such as food at home, food away from home, alcoholic beverages,
smoking supplies, personal care products and services, and nonprescription drugs, as well as income and characteristics data. The Diary survey PUMD
are organized into five major data files for each quarter:

1. FMLD

- a file with characteristics, income, and summary level expenditures for the household

2. MEMD

- a file with characteristics and income for each member in the household

3. EXPD

- a detailed weekly expenditure file categorized by UCC

4. DTBD

- a detailed annual income file categorized by UCC

5. DTID

- a household imputed income file categorized by UCC2

1 Paradata files are typically compiled of nine quarters of data.
2 Available beginning in 2004.
3 Available beginning in 2009.
4 Available beginning in 2013.

Most Recent PUMD Release

The 2013 PUMD were originally released to the public for free electronic download on September 9, 2014.
The zip files below contain the most recent version of the 2013 PUMD.
The data files are available in multiple file formats, SAS, SPSS, STATA, and ASCII Comma-Delimited,
to facilitate use. The documentation zip file contains user guides and documentation, data dictionaries, parameter files, and
sample programs. For more information on the 2013 files, see 2013 public-use microdata.

Note: Because of the complexity and size of the microdata files, a thorough knowledge of a statistical software package such as SAS, SPSS, STATA, etc., is required to work with the files. You must have the appropriate statistical software loaded on your computer for the files to open.

To be notified when the next year’s PUMD is released, please sign up for the CEX e-mail Updates.

2013 sample programs and documentation

If the information is not accessible to you due to a disability,
please contact us via email.
Please provide the location of the requested information, the desired format,
and a mailing address in case we have to mail the information to you.

Archived PUMD Online

The data releases are to be made available online in reverse chronological order until the 1996 data release is posted. Post-1995 data releases
will remain available on USB flash drive for purchase until posted online. Please see PUMD on USB Flash Drive for ordering information.

Pre-1996 PUMD will continue to only be available on USB flash drive for purchase. Plans for a future project to make pre-1996 data available
online are in the works, but no timetable has been set for its release.

PUMD on USB Flash Drive

PUMD that are not available online must be purchased through the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Division of Financial Planning and Management. To purchase USB flash drives by check or charge, print and complete
the order form (PDF) and return it with payment to:
Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Financial Planning and Management, Room 4135,
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20212-0001. Phone (202) 691-7794, Fax (202) 691-7796.

PUMD Documentation and Errata

The PUMD documentation for the Diary and Interview surveys provide details on the
available variables in the microdata, estimation procedures, and data changes from the previous year.
Documentation and errata from 1996 through 2013 are available online. Beginning in 2007, the Interview and Diary
data dictionaries have been separated from the rest of the documentation. The data dictionaries for
each survey include variable names, detailed variable descriptions, formats, and start positions for
the survey variables.

Other Useful Resources

Analyze the CE with R
-- Detailed instructions of how to analyze the Consumer Expenditure Survey with R. The scripts include examples that exactly replicate a publication by BLS (to prove the methodology is correct) and numerous analysis examples.

To be notified on errata (affecting past and current microdata), please sign up for the CEX e-mail Updates.

We welcome and encourage any and all comments and suggestions regarding this page and its contents. Our ultimate goal is to
provide the PUMD to as many users as possible, while always striving to increase ease of use. Please contact us
with comments, suggestions, or questions.